Life seemed unfair to me before I walked the rocky road of recovery in late 2004. Wallowing in self-pity and hopelessness was a daily routine hoping eventually I’d die soon from my misery. I practiced negativism for almost 4 years until I snapped out of it. It must have been divine providence or my angel nudging me to live a new normal. Or simply, I got tired of hearing my old whiny self. Really, life need not be unfair. Sure the five deaths including some members in my family of origin is unimaginable grief. But here I am, alive and trying to make a difference in this temporary place we call Earth.
How did I do it? A lot of prayers. A lot of self-help books. A grief therapist, yes! A spiritual seminar. A daily aerobic workout. A new wardrobe. A new attitude. Eventually, I reinvented myself but then again, recovery is always a work in progress. I stumble now and then but I always pick myself up, brush the dirt, hold my head up high and walk again.
A high school classmate emailed a list of forty tips for an exceptional, and an enriching life which contains very powerful tips for any phase in our lives. It summarized everything I have learned or am still learning from life. Whether one is in a mid-life, quarter life or job crisis, the 40 tips remind us to keep on going whenever things don’t work out the way we want them to.
Implement whatever you can.
1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.
3. Buy a PVR/TIVO, tape your late night shows and get more sleep.
4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, “My purpose is to ___________ today.”
5. Live with the 3 E’s: Energy, Enthusiasm, Empathy.
6. Watch more movies, play more games and read more books than you did in 2006.
7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less foods that are manufactured in plants.
11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Clear your clutter from your house, your car, your desk, and let new and flowing energy into your life.
14. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class, but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.
18. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
23. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
24. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, and wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
27. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”
28. Forgive everyone for everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
33. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
35. The best is yet to come.
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. Do the right thing!
38. Call your family often.
39. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: “I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.
40. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed. Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don’t want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.
(Source: Author unknown)
Which tip struck you the most?
All the tips are very useful but the one I keep forgetting to do is tip number 2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to. Sitting in solitude does wonders for the mind as it declutters the stressful times of the day. It is with solitude that a lot of inspirational ideas can seep through my unconsciousness. It was in solitude that I awakened from the deepest pit of my misery.
Anything you might want to add on the list?
